Good place for tailwheel training please?
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Good place for tailwheel training please?
Any suggestions on where to go to these days? Anywhere in Australia will do, I am only out for proper instruction. Thank you!
Bob Harris in Innisfail has a rather nice Decathlon which he'd be more than happy to teach you the finer (3) points in i'm sure.
Plus both Bob (and Kenny Howard, another instructor there) are warbirds display pilots, so they really know their sh*t. And both are an absolute study in disapline and accuracy. I've had the pleasure of flying with them. Legends both IMHO!
Plus, it'd be a crime not to do an areo's endo while you're at it, if you haven't already got one...best fun you can have with your strides on.
Plus both Bob (and Kenny Howard, another instructor there) are warbirds display pilots, so they really know their sh*t. And both are an absolute study in disapline and accuracy. I've had the pleasure of flying with them. Legends both IMHO!
Plus, it'd be a crime not to do an areo's endo while you're at it, if you haven't already got one...best fun you can have with your strides on.
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Melbourne has one also
At MFT there is a gent who has flown a couple of dozen different tailies in his time. Very thorough (dont think just a couple of hours of circuits will get you singed off) and friendly. I think his name is Dave.
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We have a variety of training, some of which I can't post in a family forum!
Tail wheel
We have a variety of training, some of which I can't post in a family forum!
Tail wheel
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Vintage Aviation
Hi All,
Thought I would pop my pprune cherry with this post as I am rather new to the scene.
I am doing my PPL in a Tigermoth. I went solo about 6 hours ago (pic). I have been around planes for the last 4 years as my father and I own VH EEI. Not only can you get your tail wheel endorsement but you could also get checked out in a tigermoth at the same time. Very good teacher i think with a methodical approach to all facits of aviation. Vintage Aviation (www.vintageaviation.com.au) is located and Cessnock (ycnk)
Kind Regards
Ben
Thought I would pop my pprune cherry with this post as I am rather new to the scene.
I am doing my PPL in a Tigermoth. I went solo about 6 hours ago (pic). I have been around planes for the last 4 years as my father and I own VH EEI. Not only can you get your tail wheel endorsement but you could also get checked out in a tigermoth at the same time. Very good teacher i think with a methodical approach to all facits of aviation. Vintage Aviation (www.vintageaviation.com.au) is located and Cessnock (ycnk)
Kind Regards
Ben
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Phil Unicom would be a good option but also Martyn Smith at Adelaide Biplanes (Aldinga SA) has a good variety of tailwheel trainers.....SuperCub, Super Decathlon, Tiger Moth, Sport Cubs...........look at their website
Curtis Avn
Our company uses Curtis for MECIR renewals, META approvals, and tailwheel endorsements.
Can't recommend them highly enough.
Can't recommend them highly enough.
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I'd recommend not doing it in a Decath/ Citabria as they are really too easy to fly, and going from that into something less forgiving may bite you on the butt.
I did mine in a Pawnee and am very glad of it. Barry Foster at Leongatha (Vic) has one, and many thousands of hours flying them. Couldn't recommend him highly enough.
Matt
I did mine in a Pawnee and am very glad of it. Barry Foster at Leongatha (Vic) has one, and many thousands of hours flying them. Couldn't recommend him highly enough.
Matt
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So Matt, why don't you just recommend jumping straight into a C185/DHC-6 or something like that. You need to learn how to walk first before you can run and besides, there has been plenty of runway excursions with the Citabria. Never under estimate the tail wheel aircraft, it might bite you one day and hopefully you won't run into any thing. 
I'd recommend not doing it in a Decath/ Citabria as they are really too easy to fly, and going from that into something less forgiving may bite you on the butt. I did mine in a Pawnee and am very glad of it.
I reckon the Pawnee is SO easy to fly that it probably shouldn't qualify as a tail-wheel endorsement.
I haven't flown the Citabria/Decathlon, but in a former life I did endorsement training in the PA18 Supercub - an excellent aircraft for ab initio tailwheel training IMHO!
Dr
PS: For the record, I have time in Auster J1 and J5, PA25-150 and 235, PA18, C180 and C185.
PPS: Some time ago I posted the story of someone who tackled a C185 as their first taildragger - it ended in tears!
Last edited by ForkTailedDrKiller; 1st Oct 2008 at 09:33.
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"PPS: Some time ago I posted the story of someone who tackled a C185 as their first taildragger - it ended in tears!"
Wasn't that C185Skywagon at the hangar party when he tripped over the MLG strut and spilt his rum?
Wasn't that C185Skywagon at the hangar party when he tripped over the MLG strut and spilt his rum?
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Regardless of which tail wheel type you choose, make sure you are not conned into undergoing training in aerobatics as part of the "package." This will double or triple your costs and is a waste of money.
As with every new type you get endorsed upon, the syllabus should include stall recovery, and if the aircraft is approved for spinning then you would be wise to be certified competent at spinning. Most flying schools will claim you need a minimum of five hours dual instruction for the tail wheel endorsement but that will include aerobatics. Once the normal upper air training on type is complete (45 minutes should do it) then the rest of the endorsement should be on circuits and landings including crosswinds. If you are reasonably competent you should not need more than two hours in the circuit. Remember you have already flown other types.
When Tiger Moths were the mainstay of training aircraft at Bankstown in the early Fifties the average time to first solo of someone who had never flown before, varied between six to nine hours depending on frequency of bookings. This included the full gambit of upper air work including spinning and forced landings, steep turns both gliding and powered. All landings were from glide approaches.
As far as I am aware there is no legislative requirement to complete a minimum of five hours for a tail wheel endorsement so make sure you carefulyy monitor your own training records to avoid excess hours that are unnecessary.
As with every new type you get endorsed upon, the syllabus should include stall recovery, and if the aircraft is approved for spinning then you would be wise to be certified competent at spinning. Most flying schools will claim you need a minimum of five hours dual instruction for the tail wheel endorsement but that will include aerobatics. Once the normal upper air training on type is complete (45 minutes should do it) then the rest of the endorsement should be on circuits and landings including crosswinds. If you are reasonably competent you should not need more than two hours in the circuit. Remember you have already flown other types.
When Tiger Moths were the mainstay of training aircraft at Bankstown in the early Fifties the average time to first solo of someone who had never flown before, varied between six to nine hours depending on frequency of bookings. This included the full gambit of upper air work including spinning and forced landings, steep turns both gliding and powered. All landings were from glide approaches.
As far as I am aware there is no legislative requirement to complete a minimum of five hours for a tail wheel endorsement so make sure you carefulyy monitor your own training records to avoid excess hours that are unnecessary.
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Tee Emm
What a load of crap! You forgot to mention the accident rate of Tigers in the 50's !!!!!!!!
For the average pilot learning to fly.... when trained by a proper instructor like Jim or Phil mentioned below at the appropriate time, you could not spend any better money, whilst learning some potential life saving skills, such as U/A and spin recovery by doing an basic aeros cse as part of your tailwheel endorsement.
What a load of crap! You forgot to mention the accident rate of Tigers in the 50's !!!!!!!!
For the average pilot learning to fly.... when trained by a proper instructor like Jim or Phil mentioned below at the appropriate time, you could not spend any better money, whilst learning some potential life saving skills, such as U/A and spin recovery by doing an basic aeros cse as part of your tailwheel endorsement.